Thousands of Romanians marched in Bucharest and elsewhere to protest against a widely criticized plan by the ruling Social Democrats (PSD) to revamp the country's judiciary system.

Demonstrators in the capital on November 26 chanted "Thieves, Thieves" as they marched to the parliament building. "We want justice, not corruption. PSD is the red plague."

Officials estimated that 30,000 people marched in Bucharest, while some 20,000 attended rallies in about 70 other cities.

The European Commission, foreign diplomats, and thousands of judges have criticized the move by the PSD-led coalition to overhaul the judiciary, saying it will place the court system under political control and weaken the fight against widespread corruption.

Critics also say it will benefit members of the PSD who are under investigation for alleged corruption.

Rankings by Transparency International put Romania among the European Union's most corrupt nations.

The PSD in February backed down from similar plans in February after the plans provoked the largest protests since communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu was driven from power and executed in 1989.